COMPILATION OF INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ON CHEMICAL REACTION ENGINEERING, PROCESS CONTROL, FLUID MECHANICS, PETROLEUM REFINING & PETROCHEMICALS

Prepared By G. SANJAY KUMAR Assistant Professor (Selection) College of Engineering Studies, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies P. O. Bidholi, Via Prem Nagar Dehradun 248 007, Uttarakhand, INDIA Email: gsanjay@ddn.upes.ac.in, gudasan@gmail.com

Interview Questions in Chemical Reaction Engineering

This is based on Levenspiels classic book. [1]

Kinetics
1. What is meant by chemical reaction? 2. List three common chemical reactions. Solution: (a) Decomposition CH3 CH3 H2 + CH2 = CH2 (b) Combination N2 + O2 2N O (c) Isomerization C2 H5 CH = CH2 CH2 = C (CH3 )2 3. Dene/Explain the following (a) Rate of a reaction Change in number of moles of a species per unit volume per unit time (b) Elementary reaction When the rate law corresponds to the stoichiometry of the equation as written (c) Molecularity Actual number of molecules taking part in a reaction or reaction step. (d) Order The powers to which the concentrations of reactants are raised to in the rate a C b ... law when the rate law is of the form rA = kCA B (e) Units of rate constant 4. Give examples for 5. The pyrolysis of ethane proceeds with an activation energy of 300 kJ/mol. How much faster is the decomposition of ethane at 650oC than at 500o C? 6. Explain the Dierential method of Analysis of Data. Solution: This method deals directly with the rate equation to be tested. All we have to do is assume the rate equation, evaluate all the terms of the rate equation including dC/dt and test the t of the data to the rate equation. The procedure is given in detail below.

(a) Hypothesize a mechanism and obtain a rate equation from it OR try out standard rate forms. The rate equation will be of the form rA = dCA = kf (C ) dt

(b) Plot a graph of concentration versus time from the data collected by performing the reaction experiment. (c) Draw a smooth curve through these data (d) Determine the slope of this curve at suitably selected concentration values (by drawing tangents). These slopes, dC A/dt are the rates of the reaction at the selected concentrations. (e) Evaluate f (C ) at the selected concentrations. (f) Plot a graph of dCA/dt i.e. rA v/s f (C ). If we get a straight line passing through the origin then the rate equation assumed is consistent with the data. If we do not get a straight line then another equation should be tested. 7. Explain the Integral method of Analysis of Data

Ideal Reactors
8. Draw a sketch of a batch reactor with accessories. Solution:

Figure 1: Typical batch reactor 9. What assumptions are made when modeling an ideal tubular reactor? 10. What assumptions are made when modeling an ideal CSTR? 11. What is the performance equation of an ideal batch reactor? 2

12. What is the performance equation of an ideal CSTR? 13. What is the performance equation of an ideal PFR? 14. What does the performance equation for a CSTR become if rA = kCA (at constant volume)? 15. Calculate the time to reduce the number of moles by a factor of 10 in a batch reactor for the reaction with rA = kCA , when k = 0.046 min1 .

Interview Questions in Instrumentation and Process Control

Basis is books on control by Coughanowr [2] and Stephanopoulos.

Basics/Introduction
1. What is process control? Process Control is the study of automatic control principles applied to chemical processes. It applies principles of mathematics and engineering science to the regulation of the dynamic operation of process systems 2. Why is control necessary? Process plants do not operate at steady state - they wander from there because of disturbances, hence it is essential to control them. 3. What is a control system? A Control System is a device, or a collection of devices that manage the behavior of other devices. Some devices are not controllable. A control system is an interconnection of components connected or related in such a manner as to command, direct, or regulate itself or another system 4. What is a controller? A controller is a control system that manages the behavior of another device or system 5. What are the main jobs of a control system? The main jobs of a control system are (a) Set Point tracking the ability to shift from one desired operating point to another (like you driving your car) (b) Disturbance rejection the ability to maintain an operating point despite uctuating conditions and external forces (like your thermostat) 6. What are the hierarchical jobs of a control system? Control systems (a) allow basic operation by managing throughput and inventory (b) ensure safety by preventing dangerous conditions

(c) guide transitions between operating states (startup, shutdown, setpoint tracking) (d) maintain product quality by rejecting outside forces which act on the process (e) implement optimizing strategies devised by management or supervisory computers 7. What special features of chemical process systems dierentiates them from (say) robot control? Chemical process systems are distinguished by: (a) longer time constants (minutes for a HX, hours for many columns) (b) long transportation lags or dead time (minutes) (c) nonlinearities (reaction kinetics) (d) distributed parameters (coupled material and energy balances) 8. Describe the basic components of a control system. The basic components of a control system include (a) Measurement devices for variables aecting the system (b) a specied desired value or range of values for the controlled variable (the setpoint). (c) a control calculation or algorithm (d) a way of adjusting the system to reect the results of the control calculation (the control element). 9. What are the components in a computer controlled system? Additional components over a usual computer system include a lter, A/D convertor and D/A convertor 10. Describe/draw the block diagram of a basic feedback control system

Figure 2: Block Diagram of a Control System 11. List the steps involved in control system design. The steps are: (a) determine control objectives (b) identify measurable variables, available manipulators (c) pair variables (choose controller structure) (d) select controller algorithms (e) tune controller (adjust sensitivity)

12. Dene / Explain what is meant by steady state. Steady State: A steady state system does not change with time. Mathematically, this means the time derivatives in the balance equations (the accumulation terms) are zero. Often, systems will reach steady state if given a long time to settle usually, real systems dont get the time. This leads to another mathematical approximation steady state is the behavior of the system as time approaches innity. Some people use the words static or stationary as synonyms for steady state. 13. Dene / Explain what is meant by dynamic/transient systems. Dynamic (or transient) systems are time dependent. All real systems are dynamic; this makes process control necessary. Dynamic systems must be modeled using differential equations, unlike steady state systems where algebraic systems will suce. 14. Dene / Explain what is meant by inputs and outputs. Inputs and Outputs are not necessarily material ows. An input is a variable that causes an output to change. Both inputs and outputs may be measurable or they may not. Disturbances are inputs that cannot be adjusted, and often they are not measurable. 15. Dene / Explain what is meant by error. Error is the dierence between the measured behavior of a process output and its desired behavior or setpoint. Never forget that the measured values of the outputs are only representations of the real values, and may be limited in accuracy. 16. Dene / Explain what is meant by feedback and feedforward control Feedback Control: information from an output of a system is used to adjust a manipulator to change an input to the system to try and compensate for disturbances after they have changed the system. Feedforward Control: information from measured disturbances is used to adjust a manipulator to try and compensate for disturbances as they occur. Feedforward allows for the possibility of perfect control, but only if all disturbances are measured and the adjustments are fully understood. This means you must have a complete and very accurate model of the process not an easy achievement. Feedback control adjusts for all disturbances and does not require an exact process model. 17. Dene / Explain what is meant by negative feedback Negative feedback reduces the dierence between the actual and desired values, so it is benecial. Positive feedback increases the dierence, so it is undesired. 18. Dene / Explain what is meant by open loop and closed loop When a system is operating without control, we say it is operating Open Loop. A Closed Loop system has controllers on-line. 19. Dene / Explain what is meant by stability One of the most important things we will be watching is the stability of the system. The error of an unstable system becomes larger and larger (unbounded) with time, often leading to undesirable consequences. 20. What are the hardware components of a control loop? A control loop is built from mechanical and electrical devices. These usually include (a) a sensor 6

(b) a transmitter (c) a controller (d) an actuator, and (e) a nal control element 21. What are two common forms of control signals used? 4 to 20 mA current 3 to 15 psig compressed air 22. What is meant by a First Order system? (a) Any process system which follows rst order dynamics (b) One with a transfer function
Kp s+1

(c) One which follows a I order ODE i.e. output w.r.t input is related by a I order ODE 23. Give me some examples of First Order Systems Mercury thermometer Liquid level system - single tank RC Circuit 24. What is a PID controller? Proportional - Integral - Derivative controller 25. Why do you need integral action? To eliminate oset 26. How can you reduce oset in proportional control? By increasing K (Proportional gain) By decreasing the porportional band 27. When will you use derivative control? For which variables is it usually used? Why? (a) When process has a large capacity or dead time (b) Temperature is a typical example of a variable which requires derivative action. Another is composition control. (since there is a large lag in measuring instrument) (c) Using derivative action is a crude method of predicting the behaviour of the process and taking action early. (d) Derivative action is used for slowly changing control variables 28. What is the problem with derivative action? It introduces more oscillations into the controlled response 29. Which type of controller will you use for given variable? See Table 1 30. Is PID controller a feedback or feed forward controller? Feedback 31. What are the components of a feedback control loop? The components of a feedback control loop are 7

Control Level control (loose) Level control (rigid) Pressure control Flow control Temperature control

Controller P with low to moderate gain P with high gain PI PI PID

Table 1: Controller vs Variable

(a) Process (b) Sensor (measuring element) (c) Comparator (for comparing Setpoint and Process value) (d) Controller (e) Final Control Element (f) (Process) 32. Describe some standard inputs to a control system with diagram. Step, Pulse, Ramp, Sinusoidal 33. What is the Laplace Transform of sin t? cos t? + 2 s 2 s + 2 s2 34. What is a Bode plot? A Bode Plot is a useful tool that shows the gain and phase response of a given Linear Time Invariant (LTI) system for dierent frequencies. Bode Plots are generally used with the Fourier Transform of a given system. An example of a Bode magnitude and phase plot set. The Magnitude plot is typically on the top, and the Phase plot is typically on the bottom of the set. 35. How can you draw a Bode plot? (approximate) 36. What is the Bode Stability criterion? 37. What is a Nichols plot and Nichols stability criterion 38. What is internal model control? 39. How is a servo mechanism dierent from regulator mechanism in a tank heater / reactor control system? 40. Measurements conducted on a servo controller gave the system response c(t) = 1 + 0.2e60t 1.2e10t when a unit step input in set point was given. Obtain an expression for the closed loop transfer function. Determine also the undamped natural frequency (n ) and the damping ratio ( ). 41. Explain the working principle of (i) bubbler level measurement system (ii) level measurement in pressure vessels ( 42. Determine the oset for a proportional controller towards a step change in load variable. 8

Figure 3: Bode Diagram

43. A proportional controller is used to control temperature within the range of 60 to 100o C. The controller is adjusted so that the output pressure goes from 3 psi (valve fully open) to 15 psi (valve fully closed) as measured temperature goes from 71 to 75o C with the set point held constant. Find gain and proportional band. 44. Show that the eective transfer function of a control valve in a process may be approximated by a constant. 45. A control system has the following elements: A second order process with characteristic time 10 sec, damping coecient 0.6 and gain 2; A rst order measuring instrument with time constant 2 sec and gain 1.5; A P-controller. Draw a neat block diagram of the system. Find the closed loop transfer function for regulatory control ( 46. A unity feedback system is characterized by the open loop transfer function G(s) = 1/s(0.5s + 1)(0.2s + 1). Determine the steady state errors for unit step and unit ramp inputs. 47. Discuss briey about valve actuators and positioners. 48. Discuss valve characteristics in detail. 49. Is the PID transfer function suitable for feedforward control? 50. Explain with a diagram (i) feedforward control and (ii) cascade control of a stirred tank heater.

Figure 4: Valve Characteristics

Dynamic Models Response of Standard Systems Controllers Stability

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Interview Questions on Fluid Mechanics

Fluids and uid Properties Hydrostatics Kinematics Basic equations of Fluid Mechanics - Macroscopic Basic equations of Fluid Mechanics - Dierential Form Pumps and Compressors

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Interview Questions on Heat Transfer

1. What is the dierence between diusion and radiation heat transfer ? Solution: Diusion heat transfer is due to random molecular motion. Neighboring molecules move randomly and transfer energy between one another - however there is no bulk motion. Radiation heat transfer, on the other hand, is the transport of heat energy by electromagnetic waves. All bodies emit thermal radiation. In particular, notice that unlike diusion, radiation heat transfer does not require a medium and is thus the only mode of heat transfer in space. The time scale for radiative heat transfer is much smaller than diusive heat transfer. 2. How is natural convection dierent from forced convection ? Solution: In natural convection, the movement of the uid is due entirely to density gradients within the uid (e.g. hot air rises over cold air). There is no external device or phenomenon which causes uid motion. In forced convection, the uid is forced to ow by an external factor - e.g. wind in the atmosphere, a fan blowing air, water being pumped through a pipe. Typically heat transfer under forced convection conditions is higher than natural convection for the same uid. 3. Dene a black surface Solution: A black surface is dened by three criteria: (a) it absorbs all radiation that is incident on it (b) it emits the maximum energy possible for a given temperature and wavelength of radiation (according to Plancks law). the radiation emitted by a blackbody is not directional (it is a diuse emitter) (c) A black surface is the perfect emitter and absorber of radiation. It is an idealized concept (no surface is exactly a black surface), and the characteristics of real surfaces are compared to that of an ideal black surface. 4. What is the range of values for the emissivity of a surface ? Solution: The emissivity e ranges between 0 and 1. 5. What are the conditions to be satised for the application of a thermal circuit ? Solution: The problem must be a steady state, one-dimensional heat transfer problem.

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6. Will the thermal resistance of a rectangular slab be increased or decreased if: the thermal conductivity is increased ? the cross sectional area is increased ? the thickness of the slab is increased ? Solution: resistance will decrease resistance will decrease resistance will increase 7. State the condition which must be satised to treat the temperature distribution in a n as one-dimensional. Solution: When ht/k 1 where h is the convective heat transfer coecient, t is the thickness of the n and k is the thermal conductivity of the n, one can consider that the temperature gradient in the thickness direction is very small and the analysis can be considered as one-dimensional. 8. Dene and state the physical interpretation of the Biot number. Solution: The Biot number is given by: Bi = hL/k where h = convective heat transfer coecient, k = thermal conductivity L = characteristic length. It is a ratio of the temperature drop in the solid material and the temperature drop the solid and the uid. So when the Bi 1 , most of the temperature drop is in the uid and the solid may be considered isothermal 9. What is a lumped system ? Solution: A lumped system is one in which the dependence of temperature on position (spatial dependence) is disregarded. That is, temperature is modeled as a function of time only . 10. When can the unsteady temperature in a spatial body be considered uniform ? Solution: When the Biot number is small (Bi << 0.1). 11. What is the Fourier number ? Solution: The Fourier number is dened as: Fo = t/L2 where = thermal diusivity, t = time L = characteristic length The Fourier number is a dimensionless measure of time used in transient conduction problems. 13

12. What is internal energy generation ? Give examples where internal energy generation occurs. Solution: Internal energy generation is the generation of heat within a body by a chemical, electrical or nuclear process. Examples are the heating of a nuclear fuel rod (due to ssion within the rod), the heating of electrical wires (due to the conversion of electrical to heat energy), microwave heating and the generation of heat within the Earth. The heat generated in each case is being converted from some other form of energy. 13. What do you understand by stability criterion for the solution of transient problems ? Solution: When solving transient problems using nite-dierence methods, it is possible that the solution undergoes numerically induced oscillations and becomes unstable i.e. the temperature values diverge. The stability criterion is a restriction on the values of Dt and Dx which ensures that the solution remains stable and converges. The criterion is usually expressed as a function of Fouriers number. For example, for an interior node in a two dimensional system the stability criterion is : Fo < 1/4 or Dt /(Dx )2 < 1/4 14. Both the Nusselt number and the Biot number have the same form. What are the dierences between them in terms of the variables employed and their physical signicance ? Solution: Both the Biot number and the Nusselt number are of the form (hL/k). However, for the Biot number, the thermal conductivity k used is that for the solid; for calculating Nusselt number the k value as that of the uid. The Biot number is a measure of the ratio of the temnperature drop in the solid material and the temperature drop between the solid and the uid. The Nusselt number is a dimensionless version of the temperature gradient at the surface between the uid and the solid, and it thus provides a measure of the convection occurring from the surface. 15. What is the eect of the Prandtl number of a uid on the relative thicknesses of velocity and temperature boundary layers when the uid ow is parallel to a at plate ? Solution: For laminar ow, the ratio of the boundary layer thickness d to that of the thermal boundary layer, dt, is given by: d/dtP rn The higher the Prandtl number, the larger is the ratio. 16. Two uids, with dierent properties, ow with equal free stream velocities parallel to a at plate. What property of the uid determines whether the velocity boundary layer of one is thicker than the other ? Solution: The thickness of the boundary layer depends on the Reynolds number:

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17. What do you understand by the terms fully developed velocity and temperature prole regions in internal ow ? Solution: In the fully developed region, the cross-sectional velocity/temperature prole is of a constant shape at any axial location. Thus the prole has ceased to change. Also there is no radial component of velocity i.e. every particle of uid is owing purely in the axial direction. 18. Do you expect the convective heat transfer coecient in the thermally developing region to be higher or lower than the convective heat transfer coecient in the fully developed temperature prole region ? Support your answer with qualitative logic. Solution: We should expect that the convective heat transfer coecient is higher in the thermally developing region. Near the tube entrance, the thickness of the boundary layer is very small, and the temperature gradients at the surface will be high, implying high rates of convective heat transfer. As the ow develops, the thickness of the boundary layer increases and the temperature gradients decreases, decreasing h. In the fully developed region, the temperature gradients are constant and h is also a constant. 19. Explain why the temperature boundary layer grows much more rapidly than the velocity boundary layer in liquid metals. Solution: Liquid metals are characterised by very low Prandtl numbers since their thermal conductivity is high, hence the heat diusion is much faster than momentum diusion. 20. You are told that in a particular case of uid ow over a at plate the temperature boundary layer thickness is much smaller than the velocity boundary layer thickness. What can you conclude about the nature of the uid ? Solution: You can conclude that the uid is a high Prandtl number uid e.g.oil. 21. What is a gray surface ? A gray surface is dened as one for which the emissivity (e) and the absorptivity (a) are independent of wavelength (l). 22. What is a diuse surface ? A diuse surface is dened as one for which the emissivity (e) and the absorptivity (a) are independent of direction (q). 23. Dene a view factor. A view factor is dened in the context of two surfaces A and B. It is dened as the fraction of radiation leaving A which is incident directly on surface B. A view factor must be dened in terms of surface A to surface B (FAB). 24. If a surface emits 200 W at a temperature of T, how much energy will it emit at a temperature of 2T ? Since E T4, a 2-fold increase of temperature brings a (24) = 16-fold increase in energy. Thus the surface will emit (16)(200) = 3200 W.

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25. You might have observed early morning frost on a clear day even when the minimum air temperature during the night was above 0 C. On a clear day, the eective sky temperature can be as low as -45 C. Explain how such frost formulation takes place. The frost is created because of radiative losses to the sky 26. A greenhouse has an enclosure that has a high transmissivity at short wavelengths and a very low transmissivity (almost opaque) for high wavelengths. Why does a greenhouse get warmer than the surrounding air during clear days ? Will it have a similar eect during clear nights ? Solar radiation is skewed towards shorter wavelengths. On a clear day the glass of the greenhouse admits a large proportion of the incident radiation. Inside the greenhouse, the various surfaces (plants etc.) reect the radiation; but the reected radiation is spectrally dierent, having more of a high wavelength contribution. Thus the reected radiation is not transmitted well by the glass, and is reected back into the greenhouse. The interior heats up due to this trapped radiation. The same eect will not be seen on a clear night, since there is no solar radiation. 27. Dene overall heat transfer coecient. Solution: The overall heat transfer coecient is dened in terms of the total thermal resistance between two uids. If there are a number of thermal resistances between the two uids, the overall heat transfer coecient is given by: U = 1/SR 28. Your friend asserts that, in a heat exchanger, it is impossible for the exit temperature of the cold uid to be greater than the exit temperature of the hot uid when both uids are single phase uids. What is your response ? Solution: The statement is true for a parallel ow heat exchanger. However, in a counterow heat exchanger the outlet temperature of the cold uid can in fact exceed the outlet temperature of the hot uid.

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Interview Questions on Petroleum Rening and Petrochemicals

Rening
Crude Oil and its Properties
1. How can you characterize crude oil? Crude oil can be characterized based on (a) (b) Watsons K Factor K = 3 Tb /Sp.Gr (c) API Gravity 2. What is API Gravity? Why is it dened and used? API Gravity is a modied scale for stating the specic gravity (density) of a crude. o API is given by 141.5 o AP I = 131.5 Sp.Gr It can be used for crudes lighter than water. 3. List some crudes and their properties Crude Name Bombay High Source Bombay High K Factor 11 PONA Type Paranic/Waxy
o API

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Suphur (%) 1

Table 2: Important Crudes with Properties

Products and their Specications

4. List the major products from a petroleum renery. The major product include (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) Gases (Fuel Gas, Ethylene, Propylene) Naphtha Gasoline Superior Kerosene Diesel Fuel Oils Lubes Solvents Asphalt

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Primary Processing
5. Explain how a electrostatic desalter works with a neat picture. 6. What is meant by preheat train? 7. To what temperature is crude typically heated before (a) crude preheat furnace (b) main Crude distillation column 8. What is overash? 9. What is the typical yield of each product in the CDU? 10. What are the cut points/ draw temperatures for each product in a CDU? 11. What are the dierent type of trays are used in a CDU? 12. Why is steam used in CDU? 13. What is the operating pressure of a CDU? How is it maintained? 14. Why is a VDU used? 15. What are the products from a VDU? Yields? 16. What are the cut points/ draw temperatures for each product in a VDU? 17. What kind of trays are used in a VDU? Why?

Secondary Processing
18. List the main secondary processing operations in a renery. 19. What is reforming? Why is it done? 20. What is Platforming? Draw its PFD. 21. What is the temperature of operation for platforming? 22. Draw PFD for Continuous Catalytic Reforming. 23. What is the catalyst used for CCR? 24. What is the temperature of operation for platforming? 25. Draw PFD for Hydrocracker/Hydrotreater? How are they dierent? 26. What is FCCU? 27. What are the modes of operation of an FCCU? 28. What is the temperature of operation for FCC? 29.

Petrochemicals

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Bibliography
[1] Octave Levenspiel. Chemical Reaction Engineering. John Wiley and Sons, 3rd edition, 1999. [2] Coughanowr. Process Systems Analysis And Control. McGraw Hill, 2nd edition, 2003.

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